


Aftermath

by ElentariR



Series: Getting Back to Myself [20]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Feels, Fluff, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-07-04 00:44:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15830265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElentariR/pseuds/ElentariR
Summary: Yes, Bucky had found his Ohana. And he was never letting them go.





	Aftermath

Bucky exhaled as he sank onto the couch. Noelle shifted closer and took his hand in hers, offering him a small smile. Steven played with his Legos in the far corner.

Nearly a week had passed since the Battle of Sokovia. There’d be a lot of fallout, but Tony and his PR team had largely handled it, for which Bucky was grateful. He didn’t have it in him to deal with the press. The government officials had been enough.

Somehow, Tony’s lawyers had kept Bucky from being labeled a terrorist and from being tried for dozens of assassinations the Winter Soldier committed. Bucky wasn’t totally convinced that Wanda hadn’t lent her powers to the effort to keep him out of jail, but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Bucky received another surprise when, upon learning of Pietro Maximoff’s death, Noelle quietly disappeared into the kitchen and, after an hour, emerged with a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies and delivered them to Wanda.

“The cycle has to stop somewhere,” Noelle had whispered when she came back hours later.

Bucky had kissed her forehead.

Slowly - more slowly than he'd like - he was getting back to himself again.

“Can you read me a story, Mr. James?” Steven came bounding over, book in hand.

Bucky smiled. He didn’t stiffen when Steven clambered into his lap. Bucky was pleased.

Later, after Steven had gone to bed, Bucky and Noelle sat closely on the couch. A casual observer might have said they were cuddling.

“Pepper tells me that the new compound is just about ready. The others are already planning on moving in,” Noelle said.

Bucky studied her. Her voice was too casual. “Yeah, Steve told me.”

Noelle nodded. She glanced at him out of her peripheral.

Bucky raised an eyebrow with a wry grin. “Is that your subtle way of asking me if I’m planning on moving?”

Noelle hitched a shoulder, but her faint blush was all the answer he needed.

“It’s true that the compound would be more convenient. Everyone else is there. The training facilities look like they’re gonna be just want people like Steve and me need. Security is top notch.” He gently nudged her shoulder. She was trying hard to maintain an optimistic expression. “But it’s missing two very important things.”

Noelle chanced a glance.

“You and Steven.” Bucky smiled. “Where you go, I go.”

“Well, you are rather stuck with us.” Noelle’s smile was blinding. “You couldn’t get rid of us, even if you tried.”

Her eyes mesmerized him. “I never want to.” He leaned his forehead against hers and heard her breath a sigh of contentment.

 _He_ had made her sigh contentedly. He wanted to preen.

“Marry me.”

They both froze.

Noelle slowly pulled away. She stared at him with wide eyes, but she was grinning. “James Buchanan Barnes, did you just ask me to marry you?”

Bucky hastily stood, cheeks on fire, and made quick strides to the kitchen, where he rung his hands and berated himself.

“Yes.”

Bucky’s head snapped up. Noelle stood in the doorway, hands clasped in front of her, smiling widely.

“What?” Surely he had misheard. She couldn’t have accepted, not with how badly he had botched everything.

Noelle stepped closer. “Yes,” she repeated and took another step. She was almost touching him, just out of reach. “I would be honored to marry you.”

Bucky gaped at her.

Laughing softly, Noelle took another step forward and reached up, wrapping her arms loosely around his neck. “I’d marry you any day of the week.”

Her light kiss on his chin broke him from his stupor. “You said you’d marry me.”

“I did.” Noelle just smiled.

“Any day of the week?”

“Any day of the week.”

Bucky frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Noelle rolled her eyes.

“What about Steven?” Panic began bubbling.

“He adores you.” Noelle’s soothing voice washed the panic away. She bit her lip and lowered her eyes shyly. “In fact, he’s been asking me every night before bed when you and I were getting married.”

Bucky’s eyes widened.

“Do you want to know what I told him?”

Bucky couldn’t move.

“I told him,” Noelle lowered her voice. “That I would marry you whenever you wanted.”

Bucky cleared his throat. “So… You want to marry me.”

Noelle laughed. “Yes. Yes, James Barnes. I very much want to marry you.”

It was only later that Bucky realized he had forgotten to give Noelle the ring.

Noelle loved it.

Steven declared that Santa Claus had messed up because he had wanted them to be married already and what had taken Santa so long?

“I don’t know, Steven,” Noelle had said with a wicked grin. "But I'm glad he finally got around to it."

Yes, Bucky had found his ohana.

And he was never letting them go.


End file.
